Rajasthan assembly passes SEZ bill

The Rajasthan assembly on Monday passed a bill to set up special economic zones (SEZs) in the state.

Passed by voice vote, The Rajasthan Special Economic Zones Bill, 2015, seeks to provide for the establishment, maintenance, management and administration of SEZs, growth and development of enterprises and to attract investment in such zones.

Tabling the bill, Industry Minister Gajendra Singh said that in 2003, the state government had brought out the Rajasthan Special Economic Zones Development Act, 2003 for the purpose, but then the central government enacted the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 which came into force with effect from February 10, 2006.

He said the state act needed to be aligned to the central act and this purpose would be met by the bill passed on Monday.

"This Bill seeks to achieve the aforesaid objectives," he said.

The bill offers many sops to the investors including exemption from size of land holdings.

As per the bill, the provisions of the Rajasthan Imposition of Ceiling on Agriculture Holdings Act, 1973 shall not apply in respect of any land acquired by the developer for the purpose of setting up an SEZ after in-principle approval has been granted to him under rule 6 of the Central SEZ rules.

The bill also makes arrangement of land easy. The state government may transfer land owned or controlled by it to an SEZ.

The developer may acquire land, if so required, in accordance with the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (Central Act No. 30 of 2013) and the rules under it.

The developer may himself acquire land from any person by purchase, lease or allotment.

The bill also offers exemption from state taxes, duties, cess and other levies to developer, co-developer or a unit located in an SEZ.